Best Camping Folding Knife (Boy Scouts)

wensynch said:
I'll bet there are knives that are recommended by the Boy Scouts, right Scout?

Scoutstuff.org > camping > knives

Go to the source for what you seek. Scout's honor.
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The only one of those that aren't crap that I saw are SAK knives. He already has one of those and is looking for another knife. Most scout leaders and parents know nothing about knives either. The industrious young scout comes to us and a lot of people will not even answer his question?

'90 Eagle Scout here. The Buck 110 is a good knife but i agree it is too heavy for carrying much. I will add my recommendation for a Spyderco Delica if you can afford one. I have been carrying a Spyderco of one kind or another daily since about 1991 and they are great knives. For economy look for other Buck lock back folders or the Kabar Dozier folding hunters. I would avoid any cheap liner lock or frame lock knives as I have seen these fail and not work anymore.

I have not messed with Cold Steel in awhile but I did always find their Voyqager line to be good value for the money. However I have never liked their serrated edges. I would not recommend getting a serrated edge for a scout knife anyway.

Opinel is another fine recommendation and might be the best feeling handle of any for wood carving that any have suggested. It also will be easy to maintain the edge and practice your sharpening.

For fixed blades here is my progression in price and quality for thin knives that work well for outdoor activities. Mora knives like the Companion, then maybe a Becker BK16 or and ESEE 3 or 4, Then you are over the $150 mark. I was never allowed to use a fixed blade in my area or at scout camp but wished that I had been able to learn the skills with one.
 
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I don't think locking blades are allowed in the scouts (no idea why), at least as of 08 when I finished.
I second the SAK decision, I love my Camper, and it does camping very well. I went through all of my scouting years with a Vic Sentry I believe, the model with one blade and nothing else. However, if I could I would have gotten a Camper or something with a saw, awl, and secondary blade. It should be next to impossible to find one with the above features that doesn't have a screwdriver, which is handy but not my main concern for camping especially when you have tools at the camp site.

Buy a small carborundum stone, either at the flea market, garage sale, or ask your Scoutmaster if they have any.
My Scoutmaster taught me how to sharpen a knife on one campout, when we had downtime. I'll never forget what he said.
"Mr. Thompson, I got my knife sharp."

"Is it sharp?"

A moment of deep thought, and then a shake of the head before I began sharpening it more. Now I consider myself quite skilled at sharpening any edged tool with any sort of abrasive media, and I do get them sharp :D.

If you only want a knife, buy an Opinel. Find one under 3", I think a No. 7 will work. Then, look at this thread and see how to tune it up a bit to be as customized and perfect for you as it can be.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1385918

An Opi will weigh almost nothing, slices better than most other knives, is cheap and easy to customize, is great for shaping wood, and is extremely satisfying.

Connor
 
ConBon said:
I don't think locking blades are allowed in the scouts (no idea why), at least as of 08 when I finished.

Connor
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Lockblades have always been allowed. Technically fixed blades have never been officially banned either. Local Troops and camps can have their own rules though.
 
Go to the BSA store and get the single bladed folder that has the BSA crest on the grip panel. It's really nice. I know, I had one presented to me a couple of years ago by a group of scouts that I had taught land navigation. If you're able to keep it, in you older years, it will bring back a lot of good memories!!
 
When you're ready to get a fixed blade, for the price, I don't believe you can do better than a North Arm Lynx. They use premium CPM S35VN super steel and wood/micarta/G-10 scales. You can get a satin (my preference) or CNC finished blade (although I am unclear if there is any advantage in the CNC finished blade other than possibly providing easier food release (like when cutting a potato)). The G-10 scales are nearly indestructible and it is a nicely sized package and comes w/ a Kydex sheath. Save your pennies, because at a price just a bit North of $100.00, it’s a truly incredible deal, for a high quality fixed blade knife.

- KL
 
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Hi all, thank you so much for your feedback! I have finally decided to get the...... Cold Steel Voyager! Thank you all for helping me make this decision!
 
I would suggest a 111 mm Vic SAK of your liking. The Trekker (either one handed or regular) might be a good choice, but a little heavy and I would carry it in a belt pouch. The reason for suggesting it is the saw blade as well as regular blade. The two layer 111 mm SAKs have about a 3" blade and are my favorite for using. I carry the Adventurer which I believe has been discontinued but the Scout version is still for sale. It has a slide lock versus liner lock and strong enough for knife tasks.
 
Thanks. I didn't read through all the posts when I made my suggestion.

Added: Now I see he chose the Cold Steel Voyager. Different strokes for different folks. :)
 
22-rimfire said:
Thanks. I didn't read through all the posts when I made my suggestion.

Added: Now I see he chose the Cold Steel Voyager. Different strokes for different folks. :)
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Hey...I don't get it either. A Vic SAK with a saw blade was my suggestion too, especially for a 13 year old Boy Scout. (Might have gone with a Case or Kabar "Finn" if he wanted fixed.) But he ended up going with the Cold Steel.

Kids these days. Pfft. Must be in the X-Treme Surv Tac Boy Scouts. :D
 
William P said:
^Very much in agreement. I'd ask that you take the utmost care when choosing a knife. A lot of traditional knives have very slim profiles and can be literally long razors. Proper training will mitigate most adverse events...

Still...I just put 23+ sutures into a 74 yr old gent two weeks ago in the ER. Cut his palm ALL the way down to the bone. He had no feeling and I barely had to numb it. Anyways, if he were a younger man, I would not have accepted his refusal to see an ortho surgeon and go to the OR. I sent him home with a tetanus shot, a shot of Rocephin and 5 more days of antibiotics. The risk of permanent injury is real; Nonadults do not have the option of refusal (yes I can override your parents) so in addition to the $5k ER bill, you may see an additional $12k+ for surgery.

I am leary of recommending traditional knives to those unfamiliar with knives (especially our youth) b/c of the severity of the injury; please don't let gramps strop your knife please. Remember other scouts will be borrowing your knife.* Yes I've seen SAKs and plenty of other knives cut down to the bone so same rules apply; injury to your nerves, tendons, etc. will result an extremely expensive and possibly permanent disability.

Still the edges I've seen on some slipjoints are just scary~ they're far far sharper than surgical blades (in fact if you've seen the angle...think of a slightly slimmer Xacto blade)
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IMO, learning how to properly use a standard SAK is a great way to ingrain proper knife handling and respect. In my 40 years of knife carry/use, I have never had a slip-joint pocketknife, SAK or 'traditional' pattern, close on my fingers/hand.

Last year, I DID get a serious finger injury from a locking folder, with arguably the strongest pure lock strength (Tri-Ad lock), when I absent-mindedly unlocked it one-handed and the blade slammed shut on the last joint of my right index finger. I lost 4 months of work, took months of therapy, and am still recovering the ROM and strength of my finger today, 11 months later (it's much better now). One hundered percent user error on my part, but there are ALL KINDS of ways that one can get injured operating/using a folding knife. Even the strongest, most reliable locking mechanism won't help if you are injured during the unlocking and closing phase. I strongly recommend unlocking/closing all Tri-Ad locks two-handed.

One can also be seriously injured using a fixed blade in a careless manner.

Sometimes familiarity with knives can breed complacency and carelessness, if even momentarily. Best to treat all knives you use as a friend, but one that can bite you, sometimes badly, if you fail to pay attention and give it its due respect.

Jim
 
I had a 112 and SAK as a scout but now that I play with this No.8 Opinel I think I'd pair that with the SAK over the buck I was gioing to recommend.
 
James Y said:
IMO, learning how to properly use a standard SAK is a great way to ingrain proper knife handling and respect. In my 40 years of knife carry/use, I have never had a slip-joint pocketknife, SAK or 'traditional' pattern, close on my fingers/hand.

Last year, I DID get a serious finger injury from a locking folder, with arguably the strongest pure lock strength (Tri-Ad lock), when I absent-mindedly unlocked it one-handed and the blade slammed shut on the last joint of my right index finger. I lost 4 months of work, took months of therapy, and am still recovering the ROM and strength of my finger today, 11 months later (it's much better now). One hundered percent user error on my part, but there are ALL KINDS of ways that one can get injured operating/using a folding knife. Even the strongest, most reliable locking mechanism won't help if you are injured during the unlocking and closing phase. I strongly recommend unlocking/closing all Tri-Ad locks two-handed.

One can also be seriously injured using a fixed blade in a careless manner.

Sometimes familiarity with knives can breed complacency and carelessness, if even momentarily. Best to treat all knives you use as a friend, but one that can bite you, sometimes badly, if you fail to pay attention and give it its due respect.

Jim
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Jim, full quote left because it is such an important lesson.

I find lock backs, liner locks and frame locks to be the most difficult to close safely, particularly one handed.

Slip joints are pretty safe to close one handed. And friction folders like the Opinel even safer as there no tension on the blade to snap it shut.
 
Yodasko said:
Thank you all for your replies, but I already have a Swiss army knife and am looking for a pocket knife with only a knife and not a multi tool. Thanks for the feedback!
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If you already have a SAK, your are already set for scouting success.
 
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leghog said:
If you already have a SAK, your are already set for scouting success.
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If all any of us ever got was a SAK there would be little reason for Bladeforums. A SAK was my main boy Scout knife complete with logo. But I still carried a lockback BSA Scoutlight on camp outs (with a one hand opening stud). And I have not been without a one hand opening knife in over 20 years unless I was carrying a fixed blade. I absolutely hate digging in my pocket for a knife and then needing two hands to open it. Just my preference.

I would add that using a knife like a mora and a hatchet more on campouts would have been very educational but fixed blades were frowned upon in my troop.

I agree the voyager is a good knife in his price range.
 
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